DASTARDLY OUTRAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 71, 25 March 1891, Page 8

DASTARDLY OUTRAGE.

OLD MAN STUNNED AND ROBBED

News reached town to-day of a brutal instance of assault and robbery in the Wairoa South district.

The particulars fco hand atata that tho victim of the outrage was an old farmor named William Bitch, aged 76 years, and very weak and feeble. Ho was a bachelor, and iived in a lonely spot in tho Wairoa Eanjres, about half-way between Hunua and Wairoa South, his farmhouse beinjj a mile from any other dwelling. Tho only obhor occupant of his residence was his housekeeper, an elderly woman named Mrs Patterson, who is herself 67 years of age. About eight o'clock on Monday evening, when both Mr Bitch and Mrs Patterson were home, the latter heard a voice calling outside tho house, " Come outside, I've got a letter for you." Upon this both went to the door, and old Mr Bitch wont out and proceeded in the direction of the voice. His companion lost sighb of him in the darkness, but very shortly after he left her she heard tho sound of several blows beinf4 given, and of the old man CRYING OUT " MURDER." Mrs Patterson wont out in the direction of the sound, and some littlo distance from the house she found the old farmer lying on the path in an insensible condition, and his face covered with blood. Unaidod, she managed to get him into the houso, and attended to him there as well as she was able. When she got him inaidc she discovered that his watch and chain wero and his pockets empty and turned inside out.

At daylight yesterday morning she communicated the news of the outrage to Mr Patterson, the nearest neighbour, who informod the police. Tlie result of the police investigations was that during the day a young man named Thomas Fry, a, labourer, who had been employed by several farmers in tlie district, was found in a lofr in a wharo and was arrostod by Constable McKnight on the charge Alongside his swag wero found Mr Jjitch's watch and chain rolled up in a parcel. Tho prisoner was brought down to Papakura, and in tho afternoon charged at the local Court with the crime of violently assaulting and robbing William Bitch. He was remanded for :i week.

The old man is at present under tho caro of Dr. Bowes, of Otahuhu, and is in a very bad condition from tho olloctd of the shock, and the violent blows he received from hid assailant's risb.